Against All Odds
by Callistus Revisited
Summary: Tired of all the pressures of the wizarding world, Harry flees to Australia, a place where he doesn’t expect to find any wizards at all. However, his seemingly muggle escape is about to become magical in more ways than one… AU after OOTP, HP/OCs, Slash?
1. Choices and Beginnings

Summary: Tired of all the pressures of the wizarding world, Harry flees to Australia, a place where he doesn't expect to find any wizards at all. However, his seemingly muggle escape is about to become magical in more ways than one… AU after OOTP, HP/OC, Possible Slash.

A/N: I just decided to combine the first two chapters, so sorry about the confusion. Please let me know if there is anything that doesn't make sense…

Dedication: Written for Alice, because she's oh-so-encouraging (she never gets off my case) of my writing.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not even the laptop I'm typing this on. If any parts of this story resemble anybody else's fanfic, I'm super sorry. I'm an avid reader, and I sometimes accidentally kidnap plot-bunnies.

_Italics - _Harry's thoughts, or any mental conversations (those will come later…oooh the suspense)

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The drive home from the train station was becoming more and more unpleasant, as the volume of both Vernon's yelling and the multitude of thoughts ricocheting around in Harry's head increased.

_Sirius is dead. Sirius is really dead. And its all my fault… or is it? _

Harry paused, a new idea striking him.

_I wasn't the only one to blame. Ever since fourth year, I've known that Ron and Hermione are in constant contact with Dumbledore, reporting on my actions. They could have communicated with him… And if Dumbledore_ _hadn't left me so completely in the dark all year, I would have known better. But how was I to know? When was I ever truly given the chance to make a decision for myself? _

Another thought hit him.

_Do I even want to fight this war? What is there that is worth fighting for? The wizarding world that is as blind as it is fickle? My betraying friends? The manipulative headmaster?_

He snorted.

_I think not. And besides, Trelawney is a total crackpot. Even if the prophesy is true, those things are so ambiguous that its entirely possible I've already fulfilled it. After all, Voldemort did die at my hands when I was a baby. It never said anything about killing him again…_

Harry sighed.

_Either way, I've got to get out of this place. But where to go? _He pondered for a moment. _Where can I go where no one will recognize me, and where I can escape from the annoyances of the wizarding world? I know there are several schools in Europe and the US, and I've heard of one in South America…but what about Australia? I've never really heard of anything magical there _(A/N: I'm sure there's a reference somewhere about magic in Australia, but we are going to pretend that that either didn't happen, or Harry was too busy being all Harry-like to notice). _Alright, _he laughed to himself, _Australia it is then._

Coming back to himself, Harry realized that Vernon had stopped yelling at him about what an abomination he was, and was now demanding his attention. "Boy! Are you listening to me, you worthless freak?!"

"No, actually I'm not." Vernon began to splutter in incoherent rage, and Harry gave pause to snicker before continuing, "And I don't think I'm going to listen to you ever again. Stop the car, because I'm getting out." Vernon was so shocked that he actually did it. Harry stepped out, slammed the door, and turned away. He walked away, not even glancing back.

_Well, that was surprisingly easy. _He thought to himself. _But it was also foolish. What am I going to do now? _He sat down on the dusty sidewalk and began to think, a plan already forming in his mind. _If I'm going to disappear, I'll need supplies. So I suppose the real trick is just to get myself to Gringotts. But how to do that without getting caught by the Order… _He stood, and slowly began to walk along the sidewalk, kicking a rock as he went. _Obviously, I'm going to need some kind of disguise, but it can't be magical. I'm sure that's the first thing anyone who's looking for me will search for. Wonder where you can get muggle disguises? _

Just then, Harry looked up from his thoughts to notice his location. He was on the outskirts of London, in a somewhat rural area. However, there were a few stores around…_Market? Nah, nothing there. Restaurant? I highly doubt it. Second hand store? Perfect. I think I have a few pounds on me here somewhere…_

A bell clanged dully as he entered the store. The musty scent of mold and mothballs assailed his nose, but he continued in, blinking at the sudden change in quality of light. Once his eyes had adjusted to the gloom, Harry began his search for appropriate clothes. In the end, he decided on a pair of heeled boots which would change his height, followed by a surprisingly wizard like hooded cloak. The owner of the shop looked at him curiously as he made his purchases, but Harry didn't care. He was finally making his own choices, instead of the ones always being forced upon him.

Thankfully, the clothes were relatively cheap, and Harry still had a few quid left to purchase a ticket at the local train depot, headed straight for London.

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After what seemed like endless searching, Harry finally found the street of the entrance to Diagon Alley. London was way bigger than he'd ever realized…Harry quickly pulled on the boots and threw the cloak over his head before ducking into the Leaky Cauldron. He hurried himself along to Gringotts, not bothering to stop at any of the alley's many attractions. He walked through the double doors at Gringotts, and quickly stepped up to an empty teller, far away from any other customers.

"May I help you, sir?" The goblin said in a condescending tone. Harry lowered his hood. "Ah, Mr. Potter. I suppose you've come about our summons?"

"Excuse me sir, but what summons?" Harry replied in bewilderment.

"Why the one we sent you concerning your sixteenth birthday. It was attached to your monthly account statement."

"Statement? I've never received a statement?"

The goblins gaze darkened. "Don't play with me, Mr. Potter!"

"I'm not! I have never received one single piece of post from Gringotts Bank!"

The goblins demeanor softened slightly. "Interesting. Is there anyone you know who would intercept your mail?"

Harry started to reply that no, he did not know anyone who would do such a thing, before he reconsidered. "I do." _Yet another thing Dumbledore has been hiding. I hate him more by the minute._ He thought, thinking of Sirius. A wave of grief bore down on him again, but he pushed it to the side. He had more important things to do right now. The goblin was speaking again.

" … we'll have to take you to see your account manager, Luknuk. Follow me, Mr. Potter." He set off at a surprisingly fast pace, and Harry trailed behind, wondering when his simple plan became so complicated. They walked into a corridor in the back of the bank which Harry had never noticed before. The corridor opened up into a wide hall with many, many doors all around it. "This is the more private face of the bank, Mr. Potter, where all of the offices and meeting rooms are located. Luknuk's office is right through here."

Upon entering the office, Harry was surprised to see how comfortable it was, with potted plants and two rather plush chairs in front of a large oak desk. Behind the desk sat a very old looking goblin.

"Welcome Mr. Potter. Now what's this I hear about someone blocking your Gringotts post? Well, we'll just have to fix that. Actually, there are quite a few things we need to fix...from the sounds of things, I doubt you know about your parents will or the nature of your assets, do you?"

"My parents left a will?" Harry exclaimed in shock.

"Of course they did. After all, it was a very dangerous time. Here, I will give a copy to read in your spare time. At the moment, we need to deal with a few of the more important specifics. First of all, your guardians. The Potters left detailed instructions for who you should be sent to in the case of their death, listing a good ten different families. However, due to the dangerous nature of the time, Albus Dumbledore felt that you would be safest with your only blood relatives, and placed you accordingly, thus bypassing your parents wills. He also appointed himself as your magical guardian.

_Meddling old coot! _Harry thought to himself. "What does all this mean?"

"It means, young Mr. Potter, that Albus Dumbledore has been in charge of your financial assests, your education about the wizarding world, and any special safety measures which he sees fit."

"Why do you keep talking about my financial assets, sir? All I have is my trust fund…"

Luknuk growled, showing his formidable incisors. "Not true. When you turn 17, you legally inherit the Potter family vaults, and any other vaults which are shown to be yours by a heritage potion. Everyone takes the potion when they turn eleven. Everyone except you, that is. Dumbledore did not feel that it would be safe for you, and stopped us. He has also stopped me from meeting you every year since then. I have been trying to warn you about the wills, your moneys, and your heritage for a long time Mr. Potter."

Harry took several deep breaths, attempting to calm his intense rage. He needed to think clearly. Sirius had taught him that. "Alright then. Let's start from the beginning, shall we? With a heritage potion?"

"Certainly sir. Although, I should warn you in advance about several things. First, the potion will remove any blocks existing on your magic. Secondly, it is believed that there is creature heritage in the Potter line. The test will show if you have inherited any of that heritage. The reason I am telling you this is that that kind of heritage becomes activated shortly before your sixteenth birthday, which is when wizards receive their magical majority, after which they have a year before they come of age." Luknuk paused as another goblin entered the room. "Ah, here it is: the inheritance potion"

Next chapter: "Incubus?? What??" And "The 100,000 Galleon Shopping Spree"


	2. Incubus! What?

Disclaimer: C'mon. If I was JKR, do you really think I would be doing this? Although I'll admit, some of her writing could really use a re-do...You know what, scratch that. I really am JKR, I do own this, and the best change I could make to my seven book series was this fanfiction. Right....

_Italics_ - Harry's thoughts or any mental conversations he participates in

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Chapter 2: Incubus? What?!?!?

Last Chapter: Luknuk paused as another goblin entered the room. "Ah, here it is: the inheritance potion"

The potion he spoke of was a shimmering blue concoction swirling around in a large stone bowl. "To activate the potion, you will need to add a drop of blood and an eyelash to the bowl."

"Why an eyelash?" Harry questioned.

"That's a very good question, Mr. Potter. No one knows. The potion master who created the potion had over a hundred failed attempts before he accidentally shed an eyelash into his cauldron. Miraculously, that attempt succeeded, and since then no one has dared skip adding the eyelash, lest the consequences be dire."

"That's kind of silly, isn't it?"

"Yes it is. But, if you don't mind my saying, that is the way the wizarding world works Mr. Potter."

Harry snorted, but otherwise didn't comment. After all, a few hours from now he would be free of the wizarding world forever. He grasped the offered pin and pricked his finger, allowing a drop of blood to fall into the bowl. Harry next plucked a single eyelash, and while he did eye it with doubt, he allowed it fall in and join the drop of his blood in the concoction. The swirling potion immediately changed its direction into a counter-clockwise swirl, and turned a deep, smoky purple. Preformed letters began to float out of the bowl, arranging themselves on the paper before him. Within a minute, Harry had before him a complete list of his inheritances.

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Name: Harry James Potter

Parents: James Alexander Potter and Lillian Rose Potter, nee Evans

Aged: 15

Inherited Titles (by order of importance, least to greatest)

Proxy, House of Cantrell – Current heir aged 3, (Selvina Cantrell)

Lord Potter – through direct bloodline

Lord Black – per will of Sirius Black

Duke Branwen – magical heir

Inherited Abilities

Creature Inheritance:

½ Incubus – through Branwen and Cantrell bloodlines (originating with Lady Rowena Ravenclaw and Lord Damien Cantrell, who were succubae and incubi, respectively)

Power Inheritance, by Family:

Unknown – Parseltongue

Potter – Mesmer, Air Elemental

Black – Black Flame, Partial Metamorphagus

Branwen – Lightning and Water Elemental, Scryer

Total Inherited Properties – 43 Properties in 12 Countries

Total Wealth – 600,000,000 Galleons

Harry stared at the list and promptly fainted. Whether this was due the shock from the list or the removal of the blocks on his magic is still undetermined.

The world was very, very white. Or perhaps it was just the ceiling above him. Harry blinked several times and sat up, rubbing his head. "What happened?"

"I do believe you fainted, Mr. Potter," Luknuk remarked dryly. And it all came flooding back to him. Harry was again overwhelmed.

"There's so many questions! What are my responsibilities? I've never heard of a half of my powers or my abilities, and I don't know the first thing about managing accounts and properties!! And then there's the..." Luknuk cut him off.

"If I may, Mr. Potter, I, as your account manager, am perfectly suited to take care of your holdings until such a time as you are capable of handling them yourself. Thusly, the first things to do are to get you some books in order to better understand your heritage, both in family name and in powers. In the mean time, I can prepare a dossier on your holdings, positions, and other things which need to be seen to, such as the matter of Albus Dumbledore's handling of your accounts."

"Of course. What would I do without you?"

An hour later, Harry had both a headache and a basic understanding of his heritage.

The House of Cantrell was a small line, but one of the biggest suppliers of magical plants and herbs in the wizarding world. The Baron Cantrell and his wife had been killed only two years ago by an out of control Dravicinus Vine, and the line had passed to the nearest blood relative, the Potters. Their three-year-old daughter was currently in an orphanage, but should rightly be Harry's responsibility. Harry, who had suffered an awful childhood of his own, and loved the prospect of a family, loathed the idea that the little girl was in an orphanage and resolved to retrieve her as soon as he could.

The Duchy of Branwen was actually the modern ancestor of the Ravenclaw family, and it would come with all of the pull and powers of a founder's title. Harry realized that, as the only surviving founders' heir, he was the technical owner of Hogwarts, and could take over the office of headmaster at any time. _Well, that'd be one way to show Dumbledore, now wouldn't it?_

As for the abilities, it turns out that each of the old families has a special ability, one likely bred in through interbreeding with magical creatures during their long history. The Black family had the Black Flame, a supernatural black fire that they could call forth at will and which could burn through anything. The much talked of "Potter Charm" was actually the family ability, Mesmer, which allowed the Potters to mesmerize a person, and worked much like a Veela's charm. Both the Potter and Branwen bloodlines carried Elemental powers, meaning that those gifted could call forth the elements to varying extents. The Branwen family also had the ability to scry, or tell the future using water and mirrors. Harry snorted at that. _To think, Trelawney was right all along. I really do have an Inner Eye..._

Of course, the big kicker in Harry's abilities would be the incubus aspect. When he first saw it written on the sheet, Harry had no idea what it was, and so was not unduly alarmed. However, as he continued to read the book Luknuk had given, Harry got more and more worried.

"Contrary to popular belief, a Succubus (or, in its rare male form, an Incubus) is not a kind of demon, but rather a rare magical creature distantly related to the Veela. Succubae are inherently sexual in nature, and actually feed of sexual energies. Thusly, a healthy succubus will need to engage in activities of a sexual nature at least once a week. When put under stress or healing from an injury, Succubae can require sex up to twice a day. While this can be very inconvenient for the often hormone driven creatures and the hapless humans around them, Succubae have their advantages as well. They typically have darkly beautiful looks, with midnight black hair, dark eyes, and rose-colored lips. Succubae are not only excellent seductresses, but also excel in the arts of stealth and combat, and are able to heal three times faster than a human being. For these reasons, Succubae have been deemed dark creatures and are often persecuted. Perhaps the most interesting of a Succubus's abilities is its least known: Succubae are capable of flying without the use of wings or any other aid. No one is really sure how they do it, but Succubae are fully capable of floating and of shooting through the air at incredible speeds. However, Succubae are generally very secretive about this ability, and the last recorded sighting of a Succubus taking flight was in 1515, when the Scottish Wizard Ergdorf the Wise saw an Incubus, the extremely rare male form of a Succubus, taking flight over the Loch Henehessey, which as we all know...." – Excerpt from Magical Lineages, Inheritances, and Meanings, Chapter XXIX

Although he still felt quite overwhelmed, Harry was now ready to face Luknuk again. "Well, Mr. Potter, are you ready to continue discussing your accounts?"

"Yes, I suppose I am, Luknuk. Although it's going to take a long time for me to get used to all of this."

"Good. Here is the dossier concerning your holdings. Presently, it is most important to discuss the matter of Albus Dumbledore. After your parents deaths, Lord Dumbledore, who was the executor of their will, left the wills unopened, appointed himself your magical guardian, and tucked you away in what he called a 'safe place'. This was, of course, highly illegal, but at the time government was under martial law due to the war, and we goblins were practically helpless in these matters. I have here a listing of Dumbledore's actions over the past fourteen years. He has withdrawn/transferred a total of three million galleons, which he has deposited in the following vaults: Vault 3079, the Weasley family vault; Vault 4236, the Order of the Phoenix joint vault; Vault 7998, one Miss Hermione Granger's vault; and Vault 113, the Dumbledore family vault. He has also withdrawn two invisibility cloaks and one antique wand from the Potter family vault. Finally, he has signed a marriage contract in your name to one Miss Genevra Molly Weasley." By this point in time, Harry was shaking with rage. The room around him began to shake as well, as his uncontrolled magic started flashing and crackling through the air.

"What can we do about this?" Harry uttered through gritted teeth, trying to keep a hold of his composure and reign in the magic which was running wild through the room.

"At this time all of the transactions are quite reversible. Had you waited until your seventeenth birthday to take action, these changes would be finalized and there would be nothing you could do. At this point, however, we can simply reverse all deposits, with appropriate overdraft fines applied if there are not sufficient funds within the vault, of course. We can also magically recall the appropriated artifacts. The marriage contract will be slightly trickier. Due to its nature, and the fact that it contains blood from both yourself and Ms. Weasley, the only way to break it would be for one party or the other to, erm, engage in activities of a sexual nature while both parties were still under the age of magical majority, which is sixteen." The goblin said, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"So basically your saying that the only way I can get out of being bound to Ginny Weasley for life is to get laid sometime between now and the end of July?" Harry laughed, "Wow, my life has the strangest twists. I never thought I'd hear a Goblin to tell someone that he needs to get laid!"

"Mr. Potter!" Luknuk exclaimed, halfway between amused and indignant "I certainly never said any such thing. I would say it is advisable, if you do not wish to marry the girl, but I would never recommend sex to a minor. That would be illegal!" By this point in time, Harry was practically rolling on the floor.

"Well, when you put it that way Luknuk, of course I didn't. How about this: you reclaim my money and property from those thieving bastards, and I will take it upon myself to resolve the contract issue. In a month's time I will become ½ incubus anyway, so it isn't like my virginity was going to stay intact for long..." Harry sighed. "Is there anything else I need to see to?"

"Only a few things left, Mr. Potter. Would you like to press charges against Dumbledore for the misuse of your accounts? Also, seeing as you are heir to several major families with no acting head of house, you can file for emancipation at this time, and the Ministry will be unable to decline your request."

"I would definitely like to file for emancipation, Luknuk. As to pressing charges, I'd like you to have the papers drawn up, but I don't want you to file them until I have to. I don't really want to go through the trouble of a court case, but the threat of it will be a lovely piece of blackmail against Dumbledore."

"Of course, Lord Potter. If you would just sign right here...." Harry signed a flurry of papers that Luknuk drew out from the back of the dossier. "Alright Lord Potter, you are free to go. "Oh! One more thing. This," he handed Harry a silver credit card "is our VIP card. It works like a credit card in both the magical and muggle worlds, and can charge up to 10,000,000 galleons a day, the highest limit of any card we have available."

"Now that is a genius invention! Fantastic! I'll be on my way then, although I am sure we will be seeing each other again in the future." He paused, as if trying to remember something important. "Good day to you luknuk, may your gold increase and your enemies wither."

Luknuk smiled at Harry's recitation of the standard Goblin saying. "And the same to you Lord Potter, friend of the goblins." Harry's eyebrows rose. Hermione had lectured him before on the importance of that title.

"But, there hasn't been anyone named friend to the goblins in 600 hundred years!"

"Very good Lord Potter. Suffice it to say that you are the first wizard in 600 hundred years to both impress us and treat us with respect and friendship. You can count on us, Lord Potter. An alliance with the Goblin Nation is not easily broken."

"Well," Harry said, obviously still somewhat stunned, "you can count on me as well, my friend. Despite my plans to leave the wizarding world, I will be there in your time of need. I do not take friendships lightly, and I certainly owe you for your help in this matter."

"Of course, Lord Potter,"

"Please, call me Harry. Lord Potter makes me uncomfortable." Harry interjected

"Of course, Harry. And while I greatly appreciate your assurances of alliance despite impending exile, I think you will find that magic is never as far away as you think." Luknuk said mysteriously.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow..." Harry questioned, but Luknuk merely smiled blithely in response, and so Harry got up, bid his goodbyes, and left the bank. As he walked out in to the bright sunshine of Diagon Alley, Harry felt free for the first time in his life. At the same time, there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that this, like everything else in his life, was not going to be a simple as he'd imagined.

Next chapter: "The 100,000 Galleon Shopping Spree" and "Prepare for Take-off"

Authors note: Does anyone know anything about pounds/galleons conversions? Harry's going shopping in the next chapter, and I want to get my conversions right.


	3. Losing Time and Gaining a Family

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

_Italics_ - Harry's thoughts or any mental conversations he participates in

Author's Note(s):

I have gone through and re-written/revised this story about a million times, so you may want to go back and read it again.

I want to give a big thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially Anonymous Howler, who corrected me on a very large mistake I was making…

To those of you who have asked –

I don't know if this story will be slash or not. I am open to suggestions about pairings, although I can guarantee OCs will be used and Harry will have multiple partners. He is, after all, an in

Harry is definitely going to raise Selvina (as you're about to see) and I don't think he's going back to Hogwarts (at least, not willingly).

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Chapter 3: Losing Time and Gaining a Family

Last Chapter: _As he walked out in to the bright sunshine of Diagon Alley, Harry felt free for the first time in his life. At the same time, there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that this, like everything else in his life, was not going to be a simple as he'd imagined…_

_Ok, first order of business.. _his stomach growled. _I guess I don't have much choice. I'd like to get right to it, but I need to eat something and look over that dossier a bit more._

Harry pulled the hood up on his cloak, and strode over to the brick wall which was the exit from Diagon Alley, before whipping out his wand, giving the bricks a sharp rap, and going into the Leaky Cauldron. Entering the dark and dingy bar, he scanned the room for a moment and stopped when his eyes alighted on an empty booth tucked in the farthest corner of the room.

After ordering his usual sheppard's pie and butterbeer, Harry pulled out the gigantic dossier Luknuk had given him. Flipping through it, he saw papers detailing his marriage contract with Ginny Weasley, his Incubus inheritance, his family lawyer,… wait! _I have a lawyer? Since when? I could really have used one during the Tri-Wizard tournament and all through last year, what with all the slander the Prophet's thrown at me… _

Harry paused, considering. Hedwig pecked at his ear, and he fed her a piece of his pie as he thought. Luknuk had shrunk his trunk and his things when he had left Gringotts, but Hedwig had stayed on his shoulder when he had entered the pub. _I suppose I could send him a letter… _He checked the dossier. _Hmm. His name is John Montgomery, and his office is in muggle London. How odd. Looking at his case history, I'd guess he doesn't have a lot to do with the magical world. Still, I might be able to use him. _Harry grabbed a quill out of his pocket and began to scribble on his placement. _Let's see… Dear Mr. Montgomery…_

Dear Mr. Montgomery,

It has recently come to my attention that my family has kept you on retainer as our lawyer, although I have never heard from you. I have recently come into possession of my holdings, and am in dire need of legal counsel. Is there any way you could arrange to meet with me in the near future?

Harry Potter, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter

He tied the letter to Hedwig's leg and sent her off, hoping that an owl in muggle London wouldn't cause too much of a scene and that Mr. Montgomery would be in touch with him soon.

He quickly finished his lunch, paid his bill, and flipped the dossier open to the section on Selvina Cantrell. His quick flipping of the pages caused several small objects to fly out and land on the floor.

_Well, this is odd. I wonder why Luknuk would have put these in the dossier _Harry thought as he got down on hands and knees to search the floor for whatever had fallen out. _Here we are. _Harry lifted the three small objects to the light to get a better look. They were rings! He recognized the first ring immediately. It was platinum topped with an opal carved into the black crest. He knew the Black crest from his time in Grimauld – it was a set of constellations embossed over a black flame with the phrase 'tojours pur' at the bottom. The second ring was gold, decorated with two rubies and a shield with two roaring lions on it. _Must be the Potter ring. I've heard rumors that we're descended from Godric Gryffindor, so the it fits. _The third ring was very curious. It was made, as far as Harry could tell, entirely from diamond, with a thin band connecting to a sculpted bird in flight. _I've never seen anything like this before, but it's got to be the Branwen family ring. The bird on the top looks like a raven, which would make sense. _He paused, remembering Hermione's previous lectures on family rings. They were only worn by heads of family, and had their own special magics. When a person put on one of the rings, the magic would test that person to make sure that they were the rightful and worthy heir of the family. If the magic accepted them, the ring would resize itself and attach itself to the proper finger. Although the wearer could make the ring invisible, it could not be taken off until death or until the position of head of the family passed to someone else. If the person who tried on the ring was rejected by the ring's magic, the ring would return itself to its family vault, and the magical backlash would injure the unworthy person. Depending on the family involved, that injury could be anything from a mild stinging to a painful death.

Harry gulped. "Well, I suppose I have to do this sometime…" And with that, he shoved the Potter family ring onto his ring finger.

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To his shock, nothing happened. But then, just as he was about to dismiss the ring magics as hearsay, an odd tingling sensation filled his hand. It crawled up his arm, raising goose bumps as it traveled. Soon, his whole body was filled with the strange sensation, which built until he felt as if it was burning him. He bit his lip so as not to cry out, when, just as suddenly as it had started, the feeling stopped.

A deep voice rang through his head. _Well met, Lord Potter. _With that, the ring disappeared off of his left hand and reappeared on his right ring finger. _So far so good, _Harry thought, and took a deep breath before sliding the Black family ring onto his finger.

This time the reaction was instant. Intense pain filled every part of his body, and it felt as if his blood began to boil. The reaction lasted for a seemingly endless thirty seconds before a voice which sounded suspiciously like Phineas Nigellus Black, the cranky portrait in Dumbledore's office, sounded in his head. _I suppose you'll have to do. _The ring resized itself, but stayed on the finger where he'd first placed it, the left thumb.Looking back on it later, Harry supposed it had probably been a very bad idea to try on this ring, seeing as he was a half-blood and the Black family motto was "Always Pure."

Deciding that he'd best do it now before he lost his nerve, he slid the final ring onto his hand. He fell to his knees as every muscle in his body suddenly lost its strength. The feeling which filled him this time wasn't precisely painful, but it was definitely the most uncomfortable feeling Harry had ever experienced. It felt as if every miniscule cell in his body was being dissected and examined under a microscope, as if his very soul was being scrutinized. After what seemed like an eternity, the feeling passed and Harry got back to his feet. The voice which filled his head this time was distinctly feminine, soft and mysterious. _The path you have chosen will not be easy, Duke Branwen. Remember this: When right and wrong desert you, love will guide your path. _

And with that, the diamond ring of the Branwen family situated itself on Harry's left middle finger. Harry was filled with a sense of foreboding. _I ought to be relieved that the rings accepted me, but that last message rang of prophecy, and prophesies are never a good thing… But that's for another time. I have work to do. _And with that, Harry picked up his dossier, shook off the remnants of unease left behind by the rings, and strode over to the floo. He checked the address of the orphanage, threw a handful of powder into the blazing hearth, and called out "Coventry Orphanage." In a rush of green flames, Harry was gone.

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Meanwhile, at Hogwarts

Albus Dumbledore was sucking on a lemon drop and pondering the state of affairs. _I'm worried about Harry. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley have been less than subtle of late, and although Harry really is quite slow, even he will catch on eventually if this continues. I suppose I could always dose him with another Compulsion Draught… _And with that, the Headmaster left his office to find Severus Snape in order to discuss dosages. Just as Albus left the office, one of his many detectors which monitored Harry's proximity to Privet Drive and the status of the blood wards began to spin rapidly counter-clockwise and smoke. Fawkes stared at the detector for a moment, and then flew over and landed on the shelf next to it. He then burst into flames, creating a cloud of fire. Although very small and weak, the newly reborn phoenix laying in the resulting ashes of his masters precious gadgets looked quite proud of himself. After all, even though he had been with Albus for many years, he didn't have to agree with him on everything.

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Harry shot out of the floo and landed in a heap on the ground, knocking over a potted plant in the process. Ignoring his newly bruised backside, Harry jumped up and started to apologize, before realizing that he was alone in the room. He quickly brushed himself off and righted the plant, before taking the time to examine his surroundings. He was in a cramped and barren little room. Besides the potted plant and him, there was a small door in the corner, a rickety looking desk and an even more rickety looking chair. The desk was covered in papers, most of which looked to be several years old, if the yellowing parchment was any indication. A thin layer of dust coated most of the room. Wondering at the lack of staff, Harry decided to go looking for someone. Just as he reached the door, the door flew open and smacked him in the face. He sprang backwards and would have ended on the floor had his seeker reflexes not kicked in at the last moment. As he righted himself, he was greeted with the sight of a stern looking woman who was obviously the matron. She was also obviously quite annoyed. "Get out of here! How many times have I told you children to stay out of my office?" Harry stared at her dumbly. "Go on! Shoo! What are you waiting for? Is there..."

"I'm sorry madam," Harry interjected "but I'm afraid you're mistaken. I am not one of your charges. I am Lord Potter, Proxy for the House of Cantrell, and I'm here to pick up my charge."

"Aren't you awfully young to be a Lord?" She looked at him doubtfully. "Wait! Potter? As in Harry Potter?" He nodded. "Well that explains a lot. Although I still don't see why you are unaccompanied by a guardian and why you didn't come for young Selvina sooner."

"I'm afraid that, before this morning, I was completely unaware of Selvina's existence. As for why I am unaccompanied by a guardian, I was emancipated this morning."

"Humph. Well, this is highly unorthodox, but I suppose there's nothing to be done about it. Here." She shoved a couple of forms under Harry's nose. "I'm Mrs. Spencer, by the way." She looked at Harry sternly. Harry, who had been glared at many a time by one Severus Snape, a man far more hateful and intimidating than this Mrs. Spencer could ever hope to be, was completely unaffected. He quickly scanned the forms and signed them, before handing them back to Mrs. Spencer. The matron glanced at the papers, gave a short nod, and turned to exit the room. "Well, don't just stand there! Follow me!"

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Harry obediently followed Mrs. Spencer through the door and down a badly lit hallway, all the while muttering in his head about how rude she was. The hallway opened up into a small cafeteria, and Harry had to duck a little not to hit his head on the door jam. This pulled him out of his mutterings, and he stopped to look around. The room was filled to bursting with children. _There are probably only forty kids in here, but it seems like many more because the room is so full. Still, the wizarding community isn't that big. Why are there so many unwanted children?_ Harry was pulled out of his musings by Mrs. Spencer's voice.

"Here we are. Selvina, this is Lord Potter. He's come to get you." This was spoken to a very small little girl. Harry knelt down to look at her, and his heart melted. She was tiny with porcelain features and huge blue eyes. Her dark hair was long and somewhat tangled, and she was standing so still she looked like a porcelain doll.

She was the cutest thing he had ever seen, and Harry was overwhelmed by the need to protect her. How could she have been left here? Wasn't there any one more suited to raise a child?

Despite his misgivings about his youth and lack of parenting experience, he wanted to raise her, and he wasn't about to leave her here. "Hello there, little one. I'm Harry. Would you like to come home with me?"

She stared at him. Her blue eyes widened. "Does at mean yous gonna be my daddy?"

"If you want me to be." He said, overwhelmed.

She nodded and reached out her arms, hope in her eyes. He stared for a second, and her eyes began to dim. Realizing what she wanted, he reached out lifted her into his arms, standing up as he did so. She flung her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder. Voice rough with emotion, Harry spoke. "Let's go, sweetheart."

With that, Harry asked Mrs. Spencer to show him the door so he could call the Knight Bus, seeing as floo transport was too dangerous for young children. Mrs. Spencer, who's eyes looked suspiciously wet, led him to the front door and waved good bye to them as Harry summoned the Knight Bus and climbed aboard, Selvina in his arms.

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Up Next: "The 10,000 Galleon Shopping Spree" (A/N: I know, I've been saying I'm gonna write that for ages, but I really mean it this time…)


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